Text Size
   
  • Nutrition Highlights
  • Video Highlights
  • Subscribe
ImageNutrient Database

A searchable database
of food nutrient content.
AvocadoHealth Benefits of Avocados

The health benefits of avocados include cholesterol lowering, skin health, macular degeneration prevention and high blood pressure prevention.
Hibiscus TeaHibiscus Tea for Reducing High Blood Pressure

Studies have shown that consuming hibiscus tea infusion has positive effects on blood pressure.
Hepatitis CHepatitis C Explained

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease
of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus
also known as HCV.
How to get FatHow to Get Fat Without Trying

A bold look at the marketing of unhealthy food to children: should children be protected from junk food marketing?
Alzheimer's DiseaseWhat is Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills.
RSS IconSubscribe via RSS Feed or Email

Get daily updates and notifications of the latest health news delevired to your RSS reader or your inbox.
Facebook IconSubscribe via Facebook

Join our Facebook page and get daily updates posted on your wall. Comments and discussions are welcome.
Twitter IconSubscribe via Twitter

Follow us on Twitter to receive updates.

A Simple Balance Test to Predict Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's brain
According to a new study, a simple balance test may predict cognitive decline in Alzheimer's.

The image depicts an atrophied Alzheimer's brain.

This study was carried out in 16 university hospital departments of neurology, geriatrics or psychiatry in ten cities with 686 outpatients suffering from Alzheimer's.

This population is representative of the Alzheimer's population seen by clinicians in daily practice. Patients were evaluated by a geriatrician every six months for up to two years, and their degree of cognitive impairment was measured using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).

At the same time, a "one-leg balance" (OLB) test was given, where a participant was asked to stand on one leg for as long as possible. The OLB test was reported as abnormal when the participant was unable to stand on one leg for 5 seconds or more.

Participants with an abnormal OLB at baseline or/and during the follow-up showed significantly more cognitive decline at 12, 18 and 24 months than the participants with a OLB test normal at baseline and normal during the follow-up.

The worst condition (having an abnormal OLB at baseline and during the follow-up= no improvement) was associated with a mean adjusted cognitive decline of 9.2 points.

The best condition (having a normal OLB at baseline and during the follow-up = no worsening) was associated with a mean adjusted cognitive decline of 3.8 points.

Senior Investigator Yves Rolland states, "Our results suggested that an abnormal OLB is a marker of more advanced dementia (worst baseline characteristic) and an independent predictor of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's. Our results reinforce in an Alzheimer's population, the growing evidence suggesting a link between physical performances and cognitive decline. If these results are confirmed by other data, the OLB test could be adopted in clinical practice to identify Alzheimer's patients at high risk of rapid cognitive decline."
References:
1. Yves Rolland, et al. An Abnormal 'One-leg Balance' Test Predicts Cognitive Decline During Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease 16:3.

Related Articles


2-omega-3.jpg
No Benefit Found for Omega 3 Fatty Acid in Mild - Moderate Alzheimer's
The results of an 18 month trial conducted by the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS) showed no evidence for benefit of DHA, an omega 3 fatty acid, in people with mild to moderate
memory.jpg
Earlier Memory Decline for Carriers of Alzheimer's Genetic Risk Factor
Research suggests that the carriers of the APOE e4 gene, a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, begin to have memory declines in their mid-50s, far earlier than previously thought. These
amyloid-plaque-formation.jpg
Scientists Make Progress in Preventative Alzheimer's Treatment
Scientists have identified a molecule that can form the basis for a new therapy for Alzheimer's disease. This is the first step toward a treatment that could actually stop the progress of
fast-food.jpg
Fast Food is Possible Risk Factor for Alzheimer's
Epidemiological studies provide evidence that high cholesterol levels and lack of antioxidants due to poor nutrition could increase risk of Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer's is the most common
grape-seed.jpg
Maximizing Grape Compounds to Combat Alzheimer’s Disease
Research has shown that some of the polyphenol compounds found in red wine that are thought to help prevent Alzheimer's disease in fact reach the brain. Polyphenols, compounds found in the